Hazelnuts: cultivation and care in central Russia, the best varieties, reproduction

One of the types of hazel useful for humans, hazelnuts are distributed throughout the south of Russia. There the conditions are most favorable for the growth and development of culture. But it is worth paying attention to the fact that the cultivation of hazelnuts in central Russia, caring for it has great potential. Therefore, gardeners who have plots in this part of the country can safely experiment with the cultivation of a cultivated hazel species.

Is it possible to grow hazelnuts in central Russia

The selection of hazelnuts in the difficult climatic conditions of the middle zone began to be engaged in the 30s of the XX century. Currently, a large number of hazelnut hybrids have been created that bloom together and give rich harvests of nuts.

Since the new varieties are based on crossing with common hazel, hazelnuts in central Russia are capable of:

• endure the low temperatures of winter and spring frosts;
• give nuts with high oil content;
• please with high yields;
• become a garden decoration thanks to decorative shapes.

Of course, hazelnut nuts are not as large as in the south, but the nutritional value is high.

Best varieties for this region

Gardeners in central Russia should choose only frost-resistant varieties of hazelnuts, among which are:

1. Tambov early. The type of hazel with green leaves has been cultivated for a long time. It bears fruit in early to mid-August.Oblong fruits are medium in size, with a thin golden shell. The content of oils in the kernels is high - up to 73%. The yield per tree is 6 kilograms.
2. Tambov late. The hazelnut variety is used as a pollinator. The tree bears fruit with medium-sized nuts, an oblong-conical shape and a thin shell. The kernels are tender, in a film, delicious.
3. Moscow ruby. The hybrid belongs to the species of hazel with red leaves. Hazelnut bushes are vigorous, fruitful. One fruit contains up to 7-8 nuts.
4. Academician Yablokov. One of the elite varieties with shoots and leaves of red color. The nuts are large, weighing up to 2.5-3.4 grams, without a plush. Every year, 10 kilograms of nuts are obtained from one bush, which are harvested in September-October. To grow a hybrid, you need a pollinator, which is suitable for varieties Tambovsky late and early, Pervenets.
5. Firstborn. The grade well transfers winter with frosts. Having an extended flowering period, the hybrid has a high vitality. For red-leaved varieties, this is one of the best pollinators.

Depending on the purpose of cultivation, it is worth choosing hazelnut hybrids that give high yields of nuts or bushes that are decorative.

Basic cultivation requirements

To grow a nut in your summer cottage, you should pay attention to:

• choose the right place under the tree;
• plant several different varieties side by side for pollination;
• protect hazel from pests and diseases.

Agrotechnical measures must be carried out competently and in a timely manner, then the cultivation of hazelnuts will be successful in central Russia.

Choice of time and site

For regions with early and cold winters, it is optimal to plant walnut trees in spring. Plant in April before sap flow begins.

The site should be prepared for hazel in advance. We need fertile, well-drained soils. But wetlands with close waters cannot be used.

Shrub grows best in well-lit areas. It is necessary to protect the landing from drafts, cold winds. Trees grow well near the wall.

Preparation of planting material

The shrub will take root better if the seedling is:

• without leaves;
• with 3-5 developed shoots;
• have a developed root system with a root length of half a meter;
• with a barrel thickness of 1-1.5 centimeters.

Remember to prepare and plant 2-3 different varieties of hazelnuts side by side.

Landing

You can plant hazelnuts both with seeds and using ready-made seedlings.The first method is most often needed for breeding work. When using seeds, it is more difficult to preserve the varietal characteristics of the crop. Yes, and the hazel begins to bear fruit later, if planted with seed material.

Seeds

Choose only mature nuts for planting in the garden. They should not be spoiled, without the smell of mold. First, nuts are kept in water for 5 days. Nutrient soil is poured into the boxes and nuts are placed there. They must undergo a stratification procedure at a temperature of 2-6 degrees Celsius. It is worth starting seed preparation in May, because it will take 2-3 months.

Then the sprouted nuts are ready to take root in a permanent place in the garden.

Vegetative method

It is more convenient and easier to plant hazel seedlings. A month before planting, a hole is prepared 60 centimeters wide and long. A layer of a mixture of peat or humus with earth and superphosphate is poured into it.From above, a mound is made of garden soil. They put a walnut tree in the middle, straighten the roots. It is better to dip the hazelnut roots in a clay masher and trim slightly.

Cover the roots with nutrient soil, shaking the tree slightly so that the earth is evenly distributed between the roots. A peg is placed nearby for tying a hazel. At the end of the procedure, abundantly planted walnut bushes are watered.

For farmers, planting hazelnuts in nests is suitable. With this method, 5-6 bushes are planted in a circle according to the scheme of 6 x 6 meters. All branches from the root are removed before planting. So hazelnuts will grow in 1 stem.

It is impossible to deepen the roots strongly during planting.

Further crop care

In order for the culture to grow and develop quickly, it should be properly looked after. Timely watering, top dressing and pruning will allow the tree to gain strength and please a rich hazelnut harvest.

How to water

When forming a hazel plantation, it is necessary to water the plantation abundantly. So a week after planting, young trees are watered. Then, during the season, moisturizing is carried out when the ground starts to dry up from above.

Mulching is used to preserve moisture. A layer of sawdust or needles is poured around so that they do not come into contact with the hazelnut trunk.

Fertilizer

Organic and mineral nutrient solutions are used to feed the hazel. After planting, it is best to water with a solution of slurry diluted in a ratio of 1:20.

Every year begin to fertilize the ground after 3 years after planting. Before that, hazelnuts feed on what is in the ground. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are introduced every 2 years.

How to care during flowering

The hazelnut begins to bloom and bear fruit in the 4-6th year after planting. But if three-year-old trees are planted, then the waiting period for nuts will be reduced.

Nut required for fruit set during the growing season:

• feeding with potassium and phosphorus;
• introducing humus into the trunk circles along with nitrophoska;
• moderate watering;
• stop for the time of loosening the soil.

To better lay nuts, pruning is needed. It is carried out in the spring, rejuvenating the tree, and in the fall.

Cutting

To get a bountiful harvest, pruning should begin, which is carried out in a timely manner. Excess shoots should be removed constantly, otherwise the hazelnuts will grow and bear fruit poorly. Viable young shoots are left in the spring, shortening them by a third.During the fruiting period, the walnut tree constantly needs renewal.

In autumn, old shoots, dried and diseased branches are cut. It is necessary to thin out the middle of the bush.

Wintering hazel

Despite the winter hardiness of varieties for central Russia, they need cover with non-woven material for the first 3 years of life. Plantings should be protected from heavy snowfalls in winter by bending the branches to the ground and pinning them. From above, young trees are covered with spruce branches of coniferous trees. Hazelnuts tolerate winter well if watered abundantly and fed with wood ash in October.

Protection from diseases and pests

In hazel, one of the common diseases is powdery mildew. The tree is less often damaged by brown spotting. Treatment of plantings with a solution of copper oxychloride at 0.3% and Bordeaux liquid at 1% helps against infection. Powdery mildew is effectively combated with preparations containing sulfur.

The walnut weevil, leaf beetle, hazelnut barbelThey are expelled, destroyed by spraying "Decis" from the hazelnut plantation. A solution of "Karbofos", "Fosalon" helps from hazel aphids. Occasionally, you can see thin cobwebs entangling hazel foliage. It parasitizes the spider mite on hazelnuts. You can fight it with sulfur preparations, a solution of chloroethanol.

Reproduction

There are several ways to breed hazelnuts. Reproduction is more successful in the vegetative way, although the seed method is also used.

Bends

This method of propagation is simple, since it is not necessary to separate the shoots from the mother bush. Near the hazelnuts, you need to dig a trench half a meter long and 15 centimeters deep. The side branches are laid in grooves, pinned to the ground. The upper part of the shoot is taken out and tied to pegs.It remains to fill the trenches with earth. After abundant watering, the soil will be compacted, and the branches will be able to form roots.

To get several taps, not just one, in autumn or spring, annual shoots should be bent to the ground and left without sprinkling. Roots will appear from the buds, from which shoots will rush upward. When they reach 10 centimeters, they are spudded. As they grow, the procedure is carried out twice more. Then the horizontal shoot is completely dug up, cutting it into pieces. Each should have a vertical sprout.

Offspring

On the 2-3rd year after planting, hazelnuts form shoots from the rhizome. It is used for propagation of varietal hazel. The lateral branches are freed from the ground and separated from the mother bush with an ax or pruner. It is essential that each offspring has a strong and he althy root with buds.

Inoculation

A difficult method used by experienced gardeners. Hazel seedlings act as a rootstock for hazelnuts. Most often used ordinary or multi-leaved. A bear nut is also suitable for vaccination or its hybrids with hazelnuts.

Dividing the bush

Easy method even beginner nut growers can use. The hazel is dug up and divided into several parts. Each of them should be with a stump 15-20 centimeters high. Pay attention to the development of the root system.

Harvest and storage of crops

The hazelnuts are harvested after the nuts have ripened. They are placed under a canopy for drying and fermentation. You should systematically turn the layers over so that they do not rot and deteriorate. Nuts are stored for a long time if they are placed in a room with a temperature of 0-2 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 70%.

Decorative hazel shapes

Decorative hazel can be used to decorate the landscape. Among the varieties of this destination are:

• purple-leaved hazel with flaming leaves;
• fern-leaved with carved, like oak leaves;
• variegated varieties with yellow, white border or spots on the green leaf surface;
• Ivanteevskaya red variety with excellent winter hardiness;
• hybrid Purple F-86.

These forms of hazelnuts do not bring rich harvests, but will decorate the site all summer until autumn. They are used to create hedges or singly on the lawn.

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